Come with us and we will do thee good (Quality: Very good)

[0:00] I have a portion of Scripture on my mind against the service this evening. And I wish to ask your attention to the book of Numbers in the Old Testament, the book of Numbers, at chapter 10 and at verse 29.

[0:21] The book of Numbers, chapter 10 and at verse 29. And Moses said unto Hobab, the son of Regul, the Midianite, Moses' father-in-law, we are journeying unto the place of which the Lord said, I will give it you.

[0:52] Come thou with us, and we will do thee good, for the Lord hath spoken good, concerning Israel. Many respects, the history of the children of Israel has an application to the truth as it concerns the church of the living God, the church of our Lord Jesus Christ in this gospel era.

[1:24] And in so many ways, we can trace certain leadings and dealings of God with ancient Israel applying to the experience of the church in these times.

[1:42] and you will remember that the experience of the children of Israel was to be brought through the Red Sea by the miraculous direction and preservation of the Lord.

[2:02] and they came into the wilderness of Sinai and they had that long journey to take. And in many ways, the Lord was very gracious, long-suffering in his leadings and dealings with them, that despite all their ill manners, his patience extended, his long-suffering was very active, and he showed mercy to them.

[2:33] And one of the big gifts that God gave to the children of Israel was in the person of Moses.

[2:44] Moses, that at the beginning of his life seemed as it were in the very jaws of death because of the prevailing situation in Egypt.

[2:56] But oh, how safe was Moses. How safe was Moses. And what a miraculous turn of events preserved that young child from being destroyed in the morning of his life.

[3:15] And my friends, really, the length of all lives is in the hand of Almighty God. And we do appreciate God's goodness to us and into our families when life has been maintained.

[3:33] Various difficulties have been encountered. Nevertheless, over and above all, we see the preserving, maintaining goodness of God.

[3:44] The Lord has a plan, and that plan will be executed in the face of every opposition that can rise up detrimental to its fulfillment.

[3:59] I have in my own experience the introduction of haemophilia when our eldest daughter gave birth to her sons.

[4:13] and one after the other they gave account of the solemn situation of being born with that disease that leads to death except receiving a special and very rapid treatment.

[4:44] But those lads now have been preserved and brought through to a mature age in their twenties. And there seems to be a miracle looking back that brings our initial fears into captivity to the goodness and mercy of God.

[5:08] And the Lord has seen fit to preserve them and maintain them despite quite a number of times when one just hesitated as to the preservation of their life.

[5:25] The firstborn died at eight and a half. The other two lads have gone into their twenties. One married and the second one just having completed his university education takes up employment tomorrow in Basildon in Essex.

[5:45] Well now that's an illustration. You see, it's all ordered by the Lord. The length of our days and so on. And Moses had to be spared because God had a great work for Moses to do.

[5:59] We know he was 120 when the Lord terminated his work upon the earth. And what a wonderful, wonderful experience it was to see the Lord preparing him for the responsibilities that lay before him.

[6:15] Even introducing him into the palace of Pharaoh to become, as it were, Pharaoh's daughter and learn all about the comings and goings of the palace which ultimately, as he was ordained of God to go and plead the cause of the children of Israel, it was familiar territory for him.

[6:36] And sometimes the Lord in youthful years brings us into experiences that will be of great value in providential things in subsequent years of our pilgrimage.

[6:48] My friends, examine these things and seek to apply them in a very gracious and humble spirit and you will marvel that the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.

[7:06] All shall come and last and end as shall please my heavenly friend. Well now, without dwelling upon Moses, he was raised up and he was equipped in every needful way to sustain the great responsibility of leading the children of Israel through the wilderness of Sinai.

[7:32] wasn't an easy company to manage. They were so prone to bitterness and rebellion but nevertheless, not only rebellion against God but against Moses as the Lord's servant.

[7:51] He had a lot to endure but by the grace of God he endured hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

[8:01] I want to come to the text. We have here in this situation in the 10th chapter of Numbers this exclamation that has rested upon my spirit largely to speak from this evening.

[8:23] Moses said, we are journeying unto the place of which the Lord said, I will give it you. come thou with us and we will do thee good.

[8:36] The 29th verse in the 10th chapter of Numbers. Moses speaking to Hobab the son of Regul the Midianite.

[8:50] You know what enemies to the children of Israel were the Midianites. surely are familiar enough with scriptural history to realize that there was a terrible enmity existing between the Midianites and the children of Israel.

[9:16] Nevertheless Moses comes into a relationship Hobab the son of Regul the Midianite Moses father-in-law.

[9:29] So there was a in the will of God there was a natural connection and Moses realized that Hobab had an experience of the wilderness that may well be of great value to them as they considered in the will of God toward the promised place which God had promised them.

[9:54] We are journeying unto the place of which the Lord said I will give it you. Now do we stretch the point in application when we say that's heaven the Israel of God the blood bought church of God they have the promise that the Lord will bring them to himself in glory and yet there's a wilderness pilgrimage isn't there we sang of it this morning in our closing hymn the wilderness pilgrimage but Moses felt this man Hobab would be of great value in that he had an experience of the wilderness that was foreign as it were to the then existing families of Israel and even Moses himself had not entered into such experience so

[10:58] Moses says to Hobab we are journeying unto the place of which the Lord said I will give it you isn't it wonderful how the Lord had that place Canaan the land of Canaan reserved to be the habitation of the children of Israel and how in faithfulness in the face of all difficulties the nations that inhabited the place and all the oppositions that confronted the children of Israel the Lord gave them what he promised my friends that is a principle of heaven that never never can be revoked the Lord fulfills his word the Lord works among the nations of the earth that his decrees are satisfied well now

[12:07] Moses was not ignorant of the fact that means are used to advantage under the overruling decree and providence of God and Moses saw here in anticipation of the journey that lay before them that they could receive help from this particular servant who was a Midianite-ish background nevertheless could well be the guide and counsellor to assist them as they went forward in the will of God come thou with us and we will do thee good now to me that's a wonderful and scriptural principle with respect to the

[13:17] Israel of God that is the church of God if I refer back to my former remark come thou with us and we will do thee good the church in the earth is of great value as under God and my friends what a wonderful thing it is to realize in this gospel day that there is an influence through the church of God to the advantage of society generally if society takes account of the way of God in his leadings and dealings with his people but we live in a time my own judgment rises in this remark we live in a time when the world despises any influence or pretty well any influence from the church of

[14:25] God and in consequence the whole nation suffers and we would be well served if so be the Lord in mercy raised up whosoever he saw fit to raise up to bring us into the will of God and way of God as we go forward into the future we are journeying unto the place of which the Lord said I will give it you come thou with us come thou with us and we will do thee God now I want you just to cast your mind round society generally who are the people that give promise of well-being to society generally the church of God under the influence of the spirit and truth of

[15:38] God shows forth a way leading guiding that is very very profitable very very profitable and when we think of the alternative that is the way of the world as opposed to the way of God and of godliness we say poor world poor world and my friends while the world in one sense gets richer I say the world gets poorer because of the total alienation of society generally to the very name of Christian and the influence of Christian teaching some of us can remember in the days of our youth when the church had a greater influence in society generally than it has today and we must say comparing the past with the present there's been a terrible deterioration in our society an awful casting away of principles that were strong constructively in the formation of our society generally speaking we hear we hear a voice in the wilderness sometimes sometimes raised that the foundation of society really is in the family context and how true that is and how wonderful is the influence of a

[17:28] God-fearing family how good was the influence in those former days when here and there scattered through the villages and towns of our land were a people who feared God brought up their families to fear God and walk in the ways of God in so far as parental authority would permit now there's a loosening of ties there's a general neglect of any standard that savers of Christianity that man is being as it were allowed to do whatever he or she please not realizing the awful consequences of sin and the practice of it generally applying today well now come thou with us and we will do thee good

[18:31] I haven't time much time to speak particularly but I want to focus attention on the church and what the church can be in the general society in which we are found come thou with us there are many voices saying come thou with us young people know it as well as those of us that are older come thou with us do this do that do the other you're here to please yourself you're here largely to satisfy those things that attract your nature and your way forward the restraints of Christian teaching the restraints of the do's and don'ts of the

[19:35] Bible no longer have any authority to recognize or submit to you please yourself if you want to do this well who's to stop you who's to hinder you and there's a kind of general attitude of please yourself and do what you want to do now what is that spirit doing to our society what's that loosening of moral standards what's that doing look at the distress that it's bringing look at the awful pattern of murder and rape and all these other malpractices homosexuality what are they doing to our society what is the abolition of honesty as a standard of relationship in society what if you get in a corner you tell a lie and you work your way out of the responsibility and probably load somebody else's reputation with evil that doesn't belong to them you see my friends but here is the call we're going through a wilderness with the children of

[21:03] Israel God has promised in the end to those that fear him those that submit to him those that love him and desire to serve him he promises them a better country the Canaan possession of the children of Israel is but a faint picture of the Canaan above eye hath not seen neither has entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for them that love him come thou with us and we will do thee good come thou with us look the world despise the people of God and say well they're old fashioned they're out of step with modern society but take it to the end of life take it to the end of life to which we're all journeying ultimately and come to your deathbed and who then is rich and who is poor the rich man is the man with the fear of

[22:27] God in his heart the rich man is the man who in the tender fear of God has taken account of scriptural doctrine the teachings of the precepts as well as the doctrines of holy scripture who in the fear of God has sought to walk in his ways and do those things that please him they're the rich because the Lord says as we read this morning come come into my presence forever such a wealth of promise is in the promise of paradise that my friends you and I will never never live to regret any thing we've suffered in the pilgrimage to the wilderness when given possession of that blissful and blessed place what about the man that's by fair means or foul gained as it were a great wealth money and position in this present world what's he got when he comes to die he's got to leave it all behind and he's got nothing else he's got nothing else depart from me ye curse into everlasting fire come thou with us are you choosing the portion of the people of

[24:08] God is it your desire to be numbered with them numbered with them would I be now and to eternity look do you see the world with it's like a bubble it exists for a little time and then something can suddenly come and it bursts and it's all gone so gone but the portion of the Lord's people is an eternal portion it's a blessing that never ends it is as it were a wonderful experience of the love and care of a promise giving and promise performing God in the wilderness until he says come up higher and he takes you to himself in heaven forever come thou with us my friends all the emptiness of the world all the insecurity of everything of which they are possessed a little that a righteous man has is better than the revenues of many wicked says the scripture now come thou with us and I want to just turn to this point are we as attractive as we ought to be you know oh how easily the world will seize upon a blemish in the relationships of the church of God anything that as it were gives the impression of a deviation from what the world consider to be a right principle the world sees upon it and say well if that's

[26:13] Christianity I don't want anything more to do with it come thou with us my friends puts a great burden of responsibility on the church of God the people of God let us look within the fellowship is our spirit and relationship within the fellowship as it should be according to the word of God do we love one another with a pure heart fervently are we ready to forgive the expressions of weakness and sinful frailty that exist in the church of God the society of the Lord's people look the church below is not a perfect body of people we want everybody to sympathize with the fact that we're not perfect ourselves but are we ready to forbear with the weaknesses and frailties of others have we got that spirit of forgiveness that is so essential to a peaceable relationship among the brethren and sisters in Christ and I could go on with the precepts of the scripture could I not praying for one another come thou with us and we will do thee good what a wonderful benefit it is when we come into trial to realize that we have the prayers of the

[28:08] Lord's people that they are joined with us in such a relationship as when we suffer they suffer with us and when we joy they rejoice with us there's such an intimate connection in the relationship that seems to harmonize and bring into focus the wonder of belonging to the church of the living God I can't tell you how I valued recently the prayers of the Lord's people and I can't tell you how much I felt in a sympathetic way with the bereavement that's affected your fellowship together in more recent days it's good is it not to rejoice with those that do rejoice and weep with those that weep come now with us we will do thee good you'll be as it were a participant in the benefits of grace and godliness the the seeking submissive walking out working out and walking out the principles of divine truth come now with us we've got a standard we've got a rule book we've got a gracious god who can mould our hearts and minds in such a way that we find pleasure in pleasing him and we find great sorrow when in our shortcomings we realise we have fallen and failed come there with us and we will do thee god the church is a light in a dark world let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father which is in heaven come thou with us the positive side is so strong the benefits and comforts derived from an obedient walk with the lord and with his people according to his word that my friends surely very quickly brings us to a realisation that to belong to the lord and to belong spiritually and lovingly to the profession church of god is an ideal situation and condition in this present wilderness journey come thou with us and we will do thee god an upright walk and conversation is essential to recommend so to speak the principles of

[31:51] Christianity in the general context of the world if they love the lord they would love you if they hate the lord marvel not my brethren if the world hate you before it hated you it hated me you won't be shall I say generally embraced by the world you will be criticized and condemned for the principles of godliness which have been worked in your heart by the grace from on high home I may but it's a token it's a mark in our favour if so be we suffer with the lord and with his people in consequence of the spirit that by god's grace is found in us and showing its fruit in the way we live, the way we walk, the way we talk.

[33:18] Sometimes one feels somewhat condemned in that our light doesn't shine bright enough to excite in the world around us that bitterness that's almost a burden in us naturally to compromise our principles to almost go with the world halfway that their attitudes toward us won't be as critical and as difficult as would be the case if otherwise well now come now with us and we will do the good obedience to the word of God is an essential hallmark of the true professing church of the Lord and to search the scriptures sometimes in the general principles of scriptural teaching we can easily come to a judgment as to what would be right as to what would be wrong and it's a great mercy when the Lord helps us to call upon him to strengthen us to know and do that which is right and pleasing in his sight but there are other situations where he to to be right and to do right and to say right are not so easily identified and understood and my friends it is indeed a great blessing if any of you lack wisdom let him ask of God who giveth to all men liberally and upradeth not and it shall be given him it shall be given him you know there's a a source of promise in the word to offset those manifold weaknesses that are inherited by nature but oh when the Lord leads us to a respect for his will and way and gives us as it were that humble spirit of prayer and supplication to take our burden to him casting all your care upon him for he careth for you yes it may not be always in his will to do that which you yourself consider to be right and to your advantage but my friends to know that you're in the will of God if you're right there the Lord will maintain you and uphold you in the outworking of your ultimate decisions to be right in his sight them that honour me

[36:49] I will honour says the Lord and those that honour him in submission prayerfully and practically will know the influence of his word and promise in their personal experience come there with us and we will do thee good now you know you have here at Attleboro a goodly number of young people I'm going to say this from personal experience watching old believers were a ministry to me in the days of my youth they didn't as it were take us aside and teach us in that sense it was their example it's the way they reacted it was a spirit they manifested they were a ministry under the spirit to show us what was a right spirit what was a true reaction in the will of

[38:11] God and what a mercy it is if it can be said come there with us we will do thee good look the old friends in the church of God will have a very warm and affectionate concern for the younger people this generation gap it's not so powerful as some would suggest because who knows how much the older generation are exercised prayerfully and practically in the well-being of the younger and if in some way it may be the Lord uses an older person just to give a word of counsel a word of advice that has a goodly measure of concern and loving it for your welfare don't don't despise it don't treat it as interference don't as it were discredited as no value you know better yourself than that old friend that old friend has lived many more years than you have and he's learnt many more things than you yet know much about and you've got in his counsel the advice of a sanctified experience in the way and will of the Lord oh my friends the younger need to take notice of the older and the older must never never despise or reject the influence and desire of the younger people to be with them in the fellowship of the

[40:15] Lord's people come thou with us and we will do thee good do you see the church in the context of it showing the spirit and attitude of the word of God in their relationships with God and with one another for the true sake do you see this excellent body not perfect now perfect church is in heaven imperfections obtained in the earth nevertheless there is much benefit by the fellowship of the Lord's people together then my friends let us think of the influence in the world it's amazing really how a Christian spirit is noted though some may despise it yet there is a recognition of it and in the outworking of the principle there can be trust there can be as it were a realization that well if he said it or she said it it must be right because they never would give expression to something that was wrong they're people of principle they're honest they're upright they seek the welfare of mankind come thou with us and we will do thee

[41:58] God but just in closing this evening what did Moses say we are journeying unto the place of which the Lord said I will give it you heaven the blessing of heaven is not earned it's sought for and it's a gift of God we shall never be worthy of entering into the presence of God most high what is the cause and reason of the promise of God made toward his people that there will be a better country there will be a blissful and blessed eternity those that fear him here will be with him in the hereafter it's

[43:05] God's gift it's God's gift and my friends everything that's of worth in Christian profession and in the eternal promise of God in the hereafter is the gift of grace he will give grace and glory no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly join join together grace and glory what a mercy what a mercy to have the grace of God and the prospect of glory hereafter nothing can equal the value of that promise that the Lord promises to his people as they follow him as they seek to glorify him as they choose as it were the better part

[44:15] Mary hath chosen that better part which shall not be taken away from her I hope you'll consider these few remarks in your personal profession your combined relationship with the professing church here and when you are in the world remember that the character reputation of the Lord's place of worship is somewhat in your hands you have a responsibility to walk worthy of the vocation wherewith you have been called the Lord bless us all with his salvation is my earnest and prayerful desire word amen amen for it heal and your faith and your minutes